Empty States
What users see when there's nothing to show. These are the first impressions that most teams skip.
First-time user — no data yet
The user just signed up and landed on a core feature page. There's no data because they haven't done anything yet. This is your one chance to guide them.
No projects yet
Create your first project to start tracking work. It only takes a few seconds.
Show this immediately after signup on any primary feature page (projects, invoices, team members). Never show a blank table. Always give the user a single clear next step.
Empty search results
The user searched or filtered and nothing matched. This happens constantly in admin tools with large datasets. A blank table with no explanation feels broken.
No results for "acme-prod"
We couldn't find anything matching your search. Try a different keyword or clear your filters.
Show this whenever a search query or active filter combination returns zero results. Always offer a way to clear filters. Never leave the user stuck.
Empty team page
The user is on a team or members page but they're the only person in the workspace. This is common in B2B SaaS during onboarding.
Team members
You're the only member right now.
You
you@company.com · Owner
Invite your team to collaborate.
Show on team/members pages when the account has only one user. Emphasize the invite flow — this is a growth lever for most SaaS products.
Empty notifications
The user opened their notification panel or page and there's nothing there. This is a low-stakes empty state but it still shouldn't feel broken.
Notifications
No notifications
You're all caught up. We'll notify you when something needs your attention.
Show inside notification dropdowns or dedicated notification pages when the list is empty. Keep it minimal — this isn't a place for onboarding CTAs.
Empty billing / invoices
The user navigated to billing but there are no invoices yet — either they're on a free plan or just started a trial. This is a sensitive area; don't make it feel like something is wrong.
No invoices yet
You're on the free plan. Invoices will appear here once you upgrade to a paid plan.
Show on billing/invoices pages when there are no transactions. Be clear about why it's empty. If they're on a free plan, say so.
Empty activity / audit log
Admin opened the activity log but no events have been recorded yet. Common in freshly provisioned workspaces or after a data retention purge.
No activity recorded
Actions like user invites, permission changes, and data exports will be logged here automatically.
Show on activity/audit log pages when the log is empty. Explain what kind of events will appear here so the user knows what to expect.
Empty file / upload area
A file management or attachment section with nothing uploaded yet. Needs to clearly communicate what's accepted and how to add files.
No files uploaded
Drag and drop files here, or click to browse. Accepts PDF, PNG, JPG up to 10MB.
Show on any file upload area, attachment section, or media library when empty. Always specify accepted formats and size limits upfront.